Family, education partners, and business leaders gathered on August 20th to celebrate the apprenticeship journey for graduating and signing youth who are participants in Apprentice Alamance. The youth apprenticeship consortium is a partnership between area education partners and private industry that offers on-the-job training and college class time for industry credentials and career development.
This year the graduates that were celebrated are:
- Destiny Bellamy, who completed her Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship with Elevate Textiles
- Seth Honzik, who completed his Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship with AKG of America
- Edwin Martinez-Ramirez, who completed his Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship with Sandvik Coromant
- Jacob Ward, who completed his Mechatronics Technician Apprenticeship with GKN Driveline.
Signing apprentices for the 2030 Consortium included:
- Landon Nelson; Eastern Alamance High School; Glen Raven
- Richard Davidson; Eastern Alamance High School; Sandvik Coromant
- Conor Williams; Southern Alamance High School; Sandvik Coromant
- Lucas Duchonosky; Western Alamance High School; Machine Specialties Inc.
- Amari Ferguson; Williams High School; Machine Specialties Inc.
- Scarlette Pierce; Williams High School; Machine Specialties Inc.
- Wyatt Thompson; Southern Alamance High School; Machine Specialties Inc.
- Ricardo Canuto Tzintzun; Graham High School; Machine Specialties Inc.
At the ceremony, Chairman Eddie Gant of Glen Raven stressed the importance of choosing Listening over Hearing, using AI as a support but not a replacement for the power of the brain, and maintaining Passion for their work and passion for their community. He reminded students that “By completing your apprenticeship you now begin a transition to the role of mentor for those next apprentices coming up behind you. You have an opportunity to be a bold component of their success story.” Additional speakers included Reagan Gural, President & CEO of the Alamance Chamber; Dr. Ken Ingle, President of Alamance Community College; Dr. Chris Harrington, State Director of ApprenticeshipNC; and Superintendent Dr. Aaron Fleming of the Alamance-Burlington School System…